Fourteen births per thousand population

In 2023, a total of 11,192 live births were registered in Davao de Oro, corresponding to a crude birth rate (CBR) of 14.0, or 14 births per thousand population.

Over the past four years, the number of registered live births increased by 10.3 percent, from 10,147 in 2020 to 11,192 in 2023. However, compared to the previous year, this figure reflects a 2.3 percent decrease from 11,458 in 2022. (Figure 1 and Table 1)

On average, 31 babies were born daily, equivalent to one (1) baby born per hour or 13 babies every 10 hours. (Table 1)

 

More males were born than females

 

Highest occurrence of births recorded in Montevista

Municipalities with provincial and district hospitals reported the highest number of live births by place of occurrence. Among the municipalities in Davao de Oro, Montevista recorded the highest number of birth occurrences, accounting for 31.3 percent of the total. This was followed by Pantukan (28.1%) and Laak (9.9%). 

In terms of live births based on the mother’s usual residence, municipalities with relatively larger populations registered the highest number. Pantukan had the highest share at 13.6 percent, followed by Monkayo (12.0%) and Compostela (11.6%). (Figure 3 and Table 2)

 

Most number of births registered in January

In 2023, most registered births occurred in January, totaling 1,124 or 10.0 percent of the province’s total births. This was followed by September (9.0%) and March (8.8%). In contrast, December recorded the lowest number of births, (7.6%) of the total. (Figure 4 and Table 3)

 

In terms of daily averages, January also had the highest number of births, with an average of 36 per day, equivalent to 15 births every 10 hours. On the contrary, December recorded the lowest daily average, with 27 births per day or 11 births per 10 hours. (Table 3)

98 in 100 birth deliveries were medically attended

 

The number of births, categorized by place of occurrence and the usual residence of mother, showed a significant proportion of medically attended deliveries across 11 municipalities. This reflects improvement in maternal and child health care services. 

Ten municipalities had medically attended births exceeding 90.0 percent, with Montevista recording the highest at 100 percent. In contrast, Maco was the only municipality where the percentage of medically attended births fell below 90.0 percent, at 81.3 percent. (Table 4) 

97 in 100 births delivered in health facilities

 

Majority of babies born to mothers aged 25-29 years

In 2023, the majority of registered births were to mothers aged 25-29 years, totaling 2,879 or 25.7 percent. This was followed by mothers aged 20-24 years (24.9%) and 30-34 years (20.0%). (Figure 7 and Table 6)

Pregnancies classified as "high-risk" include those among mothers aged 17 and younger, as well as those aged 35 and older. These age groups are more likely to experience complications during pregnancy and labor, increasing the risk of morbidity and mortality for both mother and child.

Additionally, 15.3 percent of registered births in 2023 were to mothers aged 19 and below. Among the municipalities, Laak recorded the highest percentage of births to teenage mothers at 22.1 percent.

 

More than half of babies were born to unwed mothers

Specifically, 62.6 percent of registered live births (7,259 babies) based on the mother’s usual residence were born to unmarried parents. 

Over the past six years, the proportion of registered live births to unmarried parents in Davao de Oro has generally increased. In 2018, it was 59.1 percent, gradually rising to 62.6 percent in 2023, marking a 3.5 percentage point increase. The trend saw steady growth from 2018 to 2020, reaching a peak of 62.8 percent in 2020. Although there was a slight dip in the following years, the number rebounded in 2023, coming  close to its previous high. (Figure 8)

 

The top three municipalities with the highest share of non-marital births were Pantukan (14.1%), Monkayo (13.0%), and Compostela (12.2%), contributing significantly to the province’s total (Figure 9).

Additionally, four municipalities exceeded the provincial average for non-marital births, with Monkayo leading at 67.7 percent, followed by Compostela at 65.5 percent, and Pantukan and Montevista at 65.1 percent. In contrast, New Bataan recorded the highest proportion of marital births at 49.5 percent. (Table 7)

 

Adolescent mothers, particularly those under 15 years old, had the highest proportion of non-marital births, with 100% of their births classified as non-marital. This was followed by mothers aged 15-19 years at 91.1% and those aged 20-24 years at 84.1%. In contrast, the lowest proportion of non-marital births (33.3%) was recorded among mothers aged 45 years and older (Figure 10).

 

98 out of 100 births were registered on time

In 2023, 97.8 percent of births were registered timely, which refers to registration of a birth within 30 days of occurrence.

Seven out of 11 municipalities recorded timely registration rates above the provincial average, with Maragusan leading at 98.7 percent, followed by Monkayo (98.6%) and Montevista (98.5%). (Figure 11)

On the other hand, Laak had the highest proportion of late-registered births at 4.1 percent, followed by Mawab at 3.2 percent.

 

Attachments:

1. Table 1. Number and Percent Change of Registered Live Births, Davao de Oro: 2020-2023
2. Table 2. Number of Registered Live Births by Sex of the Child and Municipality of Place of Occurrence and Usual Residence of Mother, Davao de Oro: 2023
3. Table 3. Number of Registered Live Births by Month and Place of Occurrence, Davao de Oro: 2023
4. Table 4. Number of Registered Live Births by Attendant at Birth and Place of Occurrence, Davao de Oro: 2023
5. Table 5. Number of Registered Live Births by Site of Delivery and Place of Occurrence, Davao de Oro: 2023
6. Table 6. Number of Registered Live Births by Age Group of Mother and Place of Occurrence Davao de Oro: 2023
7. Table 7. Number and Proportion of Registered Live Births by Legitimacy Status of the Child, and Usual Residence of Mother, Davao de Oro: 2023
8. Definition of Terms


 

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Civil Registration is defined as the continuous, permanent and compulsory recording of the 
occurrences and characteristics of vital events, primarily for their value as legal documents 
and secondly for their usefulness as a source of statistics.

Crude Birth Rate (CBR) refers to the number of live births per 1,000 mid-year population.

Health professionals - Accredited health professionals, such as midwives, doctors, and 
nurses, who have been educated and trained to proficiency in the skills needed to manage 
normal (uncomplicated) pregnancies, childbirth, and the immediate postnatal period, and in 
the identification, management, and referral of complications in women and newborns.
Health facility is a place where healthcare services are provided, encompassing a range of 
institutions and settings dedicated to promoting, maintaining, or restoring health. These 
facilities can vary widely in size, scope, and services offered, and may include hospitals, 
clinics, doctor's offices, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, diagnostic centers, and other 
healthcare-related institutions.

High-risk age pregnancy refers to pregnancies that occur in women who are either relatively 
young or older, increasing the likelihood of complications during pregnancy and childbirth.

Live Birth is a complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, 
irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy, which after such separation, breathes or shows 
any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord has 
been cut or the placenta is attached; each product of such birth is considered live born.

Place of Registration is the city/municipality where the event is to be registered. Generally, 
it is the office of the Local Civil Registrar of the place of occurrence.

Place of Occurrence refers to the place where the vital event took place.

Usual Residence refers to the place where the person habitually or permanently resides.

Sex Ratio refers to the number of males per one hundred females.

Teenage mother refers to a female who becomes a parent during her teenage years, typically 
between the ages of 10 and 19. The term is commonly used to describe a young woman who 
experiences pregnancy and childbirth before reaching adulthood.

Traditional birth attendants, whether trained or not, are not considered as skilled health 
personnel.